Improvement in water-wheels



"ATnNT OFFICE.

H. N. GALLAGHER, OF GENEVA, NEWT YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WH EELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,5ll, dated September23, 1862.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, H. N. GALLAGHER, o Geneva, in the county ot' Ontarioand State of New York, have invented anew and Improved Tater-Wheel; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is aside view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same,laken in the line y y, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a vertical section of the same,taken in the line a: x, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

rlhis invention relates to au improvement in that class of water-wheelswhich are encompassed by a scroll, and in which the water, after actingupon the buckets, is discharged at both sides of it, or, when the wheelis used in a horizontal position, discharged both at the top and bottom.

The object of the invention is to obtain a wheel of the class specifiedwhich will admit of the water being discharged immediately after it hasacted upon or against the buckets, and without coming in contact withany part of-the'wheel, which will detract from the etfect or power ofthe water obtained by its trst impact with the buckets.

To this end the invention consists in having the buckets formed ot'radial plates provided with semicircular inner ends, and having bod iesor sides of semi-conical form, the buckets being placed in the wheel andthe latter encompassed by a scroll, all arranged as hereinafter fullyshown and described.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the wheel, which is composed of two rims, a c, placed at asuitable distance apart and having radial plates B secured between themat equal distances apart. The outer edges of the plates B are dush withthe outer edges of the rims ct a; but the plates eX- tend inward towardthe shaft C of the wheel and are attached to a circular plate, D. Theinner parts ofthe plates B are of semicircular form, as shown in Fig. 2,and they are secured centrally to the edge of plate D, as shown atb.

Each plate B has the longitudinal half of a hollow cone, C, attached toits semicircular part, which forms the sides ofthe bucket, the plates Bforming the fronts. The sides C ot' the buckets lill the spaces betweenthe platos B at their outer edges, but discharge apertures or issuescare allowed between the inner semicircular parts of the plates and thelarger ends of C, as shown in all the figures. The larger ends of C arefitted on the plate D, the latter passing through slots in C.

The plates B and the hollow semi-cones C comprise the buckets of thewheel, and the larger of flaring ends of Cprojeet laterally beyond theri ms a a'of the Wheel, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

The wheel A is encompassed by a scroll, D', which is of semicircularform in its transverse section, and gradually decreases in depth fromits induction end or oritice to its opposite end. (See Figs. l and 3.)This scroll D is formed of two parts provided with flanges at theirouter edges, through which bolts d pass for securing the parts together,and the shaft C of the wheel has its bearings in bars E E, which arebolted to the scroll, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Then the wheel isfitted within the scroll, the rims a a work snugly within the inneredges of the scroll as closely as may be without causing unnecessaryfriction, and the water in passing through the scroll and wheel isdischarged through the issues c at each side of plate D, the wateracting by impact against t-he plates B of the buckets, and then exertinga reacting force against the sides C as it passes through or ont of theissues c.

The plate D and buckets form the only connection between the shaft C andthe rims a a, and it will be seen that the water in passing through thewheel does not act upon any part of the latter without exerting apropelling effect. The water has a direct and free discharge from thewheel at each side after it has done its work, and cannot serve as adrag to diminish the power of the latter.

This wheel maybe placed in a vertical or in a horizontal position andwork equallywell in either case. It may be constructed at a moderatecost, and it has no parts liable to get out of repair or become derangedby use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire toSecure by Letters D, on the shaft C' of the wheel, as shown, in Patent,iscon necbion with the scroll D, all arranged suh- The Wheel A, composedof two rims, ca a, stantially as herein set forth. Y placed at asuitable distance apart and provided With buckets formed of radialplates B, and longitudinal halves G of hollow cones connected with therims a a, and a circular plate,

H. N. GALLAGHER. Vitnesses:

ROBERT R. NICHOLAS, G. W. NICHOLAS.

